Daijiworld Media Network – Bishkek
Bishkek, Sep 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states to dismantle the entire ecosystem supporting terrorism, stressing that there can be “no room for double standards” in tackling the threat.
Addressing the roundtable discussion at the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other regional leaders, Modi said countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy or provide shelter and support to terrorists must be given a clear message.
“Terrorism cannot be a strategic asset for anyone,” Modi said, calling for a united approach against terrorism.
Speaking about wider security challenges, Modi said conflicts in one part of the world increasingly affect other regions through energy security, maritime trade and global supply chains. Referring to the crisis in West Asia, he said countries of the Global South bear the heaviest burden of such conflicts.
India, he said, has consistently maintained that wars and tensions should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy rather than on the battlefield.
Modi also highlighted the growing threat of drug trafficking, describing it as a serious danger to young people as well as regional security. He called for stronger cooperation among SCO nations to combat narcotics trafficking and organised crime.
The Prime Minister welcomed the establishment of SCO centres focusing on security threats, organised crime, information security and narcotics, and urged member states to turn them into effective mechanisms for practical coordination and timely action.
On connectivity, Modi said India supports initiatives aimed at linking markets, facilitating trade and creating new avenues for development. However, he stressed that connectivity projects must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
He said future connectivity should extend beyond roads, railways and air routes to include simplified customs procedures, digital documentation and more efficient logistics networks.
Modi also described “opportunity” as the third pillar of India's approach to the SCO, stressing that the benefits of cooperation must directly reach citizens. He said people-to-people ties should remain central to the organisation as it enters the next 25 years.
The Prime Minister said the success of SCO cooperation should ultimately be measured by the opportunities created for young people, entrepreneurs and farmers and by the positive impact on people's lives.
Earlier, SCO leaders gathered for the traditional group photograph at the summit. Modi was seen briefly exchanging words with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the event.
Modi had also held bilateral meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Putin on Monday on the sidelines of the two-day summit.